It’s tough finding a good dark sky site these days. I was fortunate to grow up in northern Maine’s Aroostook County, which boasted nearly pristine dark skies back in the 1970s. And when we camped out at Third Lake- a pond so remote that fighter jets from Loring Air Force base buzzed it on their way to practice bombing runs- the sky was an unparalleled inky black. [Read more...]

Good dark sky sites are hard to find, and a reasonable dark sky to vacation under is tougher still. Often, one has to comprise between remote wilderness and urban sprawl. Recently, we’ve discovered a local gem in our very own Florida neighborhood that combines a quiet beach getaway for everyone with some reasonably dark skies; Longboat Key, Florida. We recently stayed at the Sandpiper Inn situated along the Florida shores, and can state that the skies are at least as dark as those in our own backyard, just north of Tampa. In fact, Longboat Key is only an hour’s drive south of the Tampa Saint Petersburg metro area and is in easy reach for many central Florida residents.

The sky is easily a Bortle scale of 3, despite tourist development. This is a real feat, as many beaches located just to the north are opulently bright. In addition, the town of Longboat Key plans to bring in several sporting events, emphasizing fitness, triathlon and man-powered aquatic activities. The dark skies we experienced were right beyond our doorstep. Longboat Key is located on the western side of the Florida peninsula, and is known for its Gulf of Mexico sunsets. You may just be able to spy that elusive green flash, or bag that ultra thin crescent moon that you’ve been trying for…

Longboat Key is also a birders paradise, and serves as a stopover for many migratory species. A science museum and a first rate aquarium and the Ringling Bros. Museum rounds out the sights and a plethora of activities abounds for the entire family. The aquarium also doubles as a working marine scientific research center and their efforts to conserve the nesting grounds for the endangered sea turtles have assured ordinances are in place that will keep Longboat Key dark. The entire length of the island is easily accessable by bike, and lane and trails are plentiful. Do give this slice of Hidden Florida a try. Not much of our dark skies remain on the US East Coast, and Longboat Key makes it accessible to all budgets… could a Longboat Key astro-inn be in the offing?

Astro Documentaries

Pictured is a Delta IV rocket launch from Cape Canaveral on November 21st, 2010. The image is a 20 second exposure taken at dusk, shot from about 100 miles west of the launch site. The launch placed a classified payload in orbit for the United States Air Force.

DIY Astronomy

Difficult but not impossible to catch against the dawn or dusk sky, spotting an extreme crescent moon can be a challenge. The slender crescent pictured was shot 30 minutes before sunrise when the Moon was less than 20 hours away from New. A true feat of visual athletics to catch, a good pair of binoculars or a well aimed wide field telescopic view can help with the hunt.

The Sun is our nearest star, and goes through an 11-year cycle of activity. This image was taken via a properly filtered telescope, and shows the Sun as it appeared during its last maximum peak in 2003. This was during solar cycle #23, a period during which the Sun hurled several large flares Earthward. The next solar cycle is due to peak around 2013-14.

Astronomy Gear Reviews

Located in the belt of the constellation Orion, Messier 42, also known as the Orion Nebula is one of the finest deep sky objects in the northern hemisphere sky. Just visible as a faint smudge to the naked eye on a clear dark night, the Orion Nebula is a sure star party favorite, as it shows tendrils of gas contrasted with bright stars. M42 is a large stellar nursery, a star forming region about 1,000 light years distant.

Astronomical Observing Targets

Orbiting the planet in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) every 90 minutes, many people fail to realize that you can see the International Space Station (ISS) from most of the planet on a near-weekly basis. In fact, the ISS has been known to make up to four visible passes over the same location in one night. The image pictured is from the Fourth of July, 2011 and is a 20 second exposure of a bright ISS pass.

Next to the Sun, the two brightest objects in the sky are the Moon and the planet Venus. In fact, when Venus is favorably placed next to the Moon, it might just be possible to spot the two in the daytime. Another intriguing effect known as earthshine or ashen light is also seen in the image on the night side of the Moon; this is caused by sunlight reflected back off of the Earth towards our only satellite.

A mosaic of three images taken during the total lunar eclipse of December 21st, 2010. The eclipse occurred the same day as the winter solstice. The curve and size of the Earth’s shadow is apparent in the image.